Narrow majority supports Senate immigration plan: poll

Fifty-one percent of Americans support the comprehensive immigration reform plan being crafted by the so-called “Gang of Eight” in the Senate, compared to 45 percent who oppose it, according to new figures released Tuesday.

However, 62 percent say that increasing border security should be the main focus of the U.S. government in dealing with immigration policy, compared to 36 percent who say creating a path to citizenship for people in the country without permission from the government should be the main focus.

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Democrats overwhelmingly favor the overall plan, with 59 percent supporting it and 38 percent opposing it. Independents and Republicans are essentially split; 48 percent of both groups support the measure. Forty-seven percent of independents oppose it, and 48 percent of Republicans oppose it.

There’s also a generational gap reflected in the polling; 55 percent of people under the age of 50 support the measure compared to 40 percent who oppose it. Meanwhile, 47 percent of people 50 years of age or older support the plan compared to 49 percent who oppose it.